annecros

eGullet Management can correct me if my information is out of date, but my understanding is that questions of topicality that apply to the rest of the site do not apply or at least apply more loosely to the Daily Gullet. I will simply observe that you ask me for hard figures but offer some highly, highly dubious assertions. It is in fact a truism that there is more inequality in the U.S. than in any other developed country, and I have never seen anything that contradicts this. I'm sure that anyone who can understand technicalities of economic terms and figures will be able to Google hard facts fairly easily, but here is an interview that details some salient points: The Wealth Divide: The Growing Gap in the United States Between the Rich and the Rest And yes, there are loads of poor people and a bunch of way-above-middle-income people who call themselves "middle class" here. In terms of intellectual U.S. presidents, let's not go back to the days of Jefferson; that doesn't apply today. Clinton is a bona fide intellectual but had to campaign as a "regular guy" from Arkansas to get elected. I don't know what all of this has to do with food, but since the fiction of the U.S. as a genuine meritocracy was brought up, it's relevant. The U.S. is a genuine meritocracy only if all the economic "losers" are unworthy and all the economic "winners" are the cream of the crop. Sounds like an after-the-fact rationalization to me, and I don't like it. ← The biggest health risk of the poverty stricken in the US is obesity. How do you define poor? http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/bg1713.cfm The following is from the citation, although I have read the Census report personally and concur: The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports: * Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio. * Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning. * Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person. * The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.) * Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars. * Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions. * Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception. * Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher. As a group, America's poor are far from being chronically undernourished. The average consumption of protein, vitamins, and minerals is virtually the same for poor and middle-class children and, in most cases, is well above recommended norms. Poor children actually consume more meat than do higher-income children and have average protein intakes 100 percent above recommended levels. Most poor children today are, in fact, supernourished and grow up to be, on average, one inch taller and 10 pounds heavier that the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II. While the poor are generally well-nourished, some poor families do experience hunger, meaning a temporary discomfort due to food shortages. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 13 percent of poor families and 2.6 percent of poor children experience hunger at some point during the year. In most cases, their hunger is short-term. Eighty-nine percent of the poor report their families have "enough" food to eat, while only 2 percent say they "often" do not have enough to eat. Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs.

We fancy ourselves as one, just as we also pretend that we are all middle class. The reality is that there is more socioeconomic inequality in the U.S. than in any other developed country in the world. And in terms of meritocracy, why is it that there are so many starving artists here? Because they are objectively inferior to the stylish ones who sell out (literally) to the ad agencies and wealthy investors? No. Because we don't support the artists and intellectuals the way they do in Europe. And going back to my other point, I don't think you can point to any examples of U.S. presidents in the last 60 years who made their reputation first as intellectuals or writers, in the mold of someone like Vaclav Havel. But do we really want to have a full-blown political debate here? ← Oh Great answer! Please, check the UN numbers from the report, then come back and let me know if there is MORE socioeconomic inequality in the US than any other developed country in the world. I have seen those numbers, and am feeling pretty cocky. Do you really think the entire nation "pretends" it is middle class? What would be the reward? I see the posers busy posing upper class if anything. So there is a huge lower class that is pretending to be middle class in the US? Come on, and what does this have to do with food! Why is it that there are so many starving artists here? More than anywhere else? There are fewer starving people here than most places in the world, and logically fewer starving artists. I do not understand why you want to go into this issue - this is not a political forum. How does one become supported in Europe when one is a starving artist? I think Ireland did the best job of the nurturing starving artist thing. You may know something that I do not. I have been rightly tagged with the fact that I am so open minded that my brains have fallen out. I think that is a fair assessment. So convince me. Sheesh, now you are comparing leadership in Czechoslovakia to the United States. No not within the last 60 years, but so far T. Jefferson and either of the Adam's kick his butt. Nixon was a drama club member. Ford was a better athlete. Carter overcame more adversity, Clinton was better looking and went to Oxford as a bastard child of a single mother, Reagan was the closest comparison with his time as a representative of the Screen Actor's Guild. People like Vaclav Havel would have never had a thought of ending up where they did end up, without other things happening first. And those other things were not just in the US. Lighten up on the 'hood. THE WHOLE BIG FAT POINT IS: Do not roll in the mud or grovel because somebody else tells you that you are not good. Know who you are, stick with it. If you like it, you do. If you do not like it, then change, hopefully someone else will come along who will and who does not deserve to be treated as less of a human because they are appreciative of what you cast away. I am not the writer that Tim is, but I get it.

My favorite french stuff is mostly the cheese, the preservation methods, and getting the most out of the seasonal ingredients you have on hand. I really do love French food, though I may be provencial.

Yes, I think so. It put French food on wheels, so to speak. ← While this was certainly significant, one of the important elements that runs through French, Italian and Spanish cuisines (and others less intimately familiar to me as well probably) is the excellence from bottom to top that is ingrained within the cultures. That appears to be less the case in certain Anglo-Saxon based cultures including American. However, both ends may be coming towards a middle as some of the mainland European cultures may be becoming more lax in the primary importance of food at all socio-economic levels and some of the Anglo-Saxon based cultures are becoming more serious about it. That may be influenced at least in part by cross-cultural assimilation between those cultures and others. ← I would respectfully suggest that the bottom to top issue that you are illuminating, has everything to do with survival on a primal basis. Yaddah - Yaddah. Oh, the ends go every which way. I think it is definitly influenced by cross-cultural assimilation. Food is so much fun.

Vegetable mixes are usually leftovers and "culls" or outcasts from the vegetables that are bagged as a single product. Keep that in mind. It is cheap to buy the mix, but you will really be better off buying storebrands that are dedicated to one variety than buying a name brand mix. Seriously. A bag of this, that and the other, then mix if you want - is a much better strategy regarding cost vs. quality. You have a lot of good suggestions on preparation, and I really can't add anything there.

LOL THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Couldn't stand back, had to give it a little snark as it slid by. I am usually above that... I think French food is good. I think food in the UK is good. I think food in the US is good. I have met bad food, but it was on the way to meet better food, and at least gave me a yardstick (yep, an English measure) to judge what was consumed later. Popcorn in hand, and very calm now. Edit to add: Adlai Stevenson did have a head shaped like an egg.

If you insist. Do you believe that where someone graduated from indicates merit? Have you never heard of a legacy? Capital trumps talent usually, and profit is mistaken for merit more often that not. Who is wealthier/more talented Pepin or Ray? Hawkings or Gates? Willem Defoe or Paris Hilton? ← Yes I insist. Answer the question, or not. Don't be so obtuse. Is the US a meritocracy, or do we just fancy ourselves a meritocracy and aren't really since we just fancy ourselves one? Please answer, then back it up with something concrete. Just asking you to take a stand. No need to call in the defense in advance. What does this have to do with food? That was the second burning issue I presented. I don't think you can point to any place in context where I have indicated in word or deed where I have suggested that where someone graduates from is the sum total of the worth of the person. It is almost getting silly now. I may join Tim in the inverted cranial position just for a bit of peace. It was very nice when I had popcorn and could sit back and watch. One more attaboy for Tim. Good job. By the way, the US is only 230 years old, and you are going on about legacy? Seriously? Do you really mean that, in the perspective of world history, I mean? This really needs to get back on the food topic.

So, you have finally prepared greens. I am pleased and proud of you. Wasn't so hard was it? And certainly less hard to eat. Looks great. I would sit and eat all day. Nothing wrong with roasted chicken. By the way, that is a very nice slice of cornbread.

Oh Please! Come on menon1971, don't be so obtuse! Tell us what you really think! Is the US a meritrocracy, or do we just fancy ourselves a meritocracy? Edited to add: By the way, where is the sarcasm button, so other people can hear it and get it and understand? Bueller? Bueller?

We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. Those that are "too smart" are sometimes seen as more elitist than the wealthy. Being a "gourmet" is the food equivalent of the ivory tower academic or the pointy-headed intellectual. ← " We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. " How do you figure? Looking at the most successful Americans, across the board from differing backgrounds, it seems that those individuals who are smart enough (or have the intelligence, if you prefer) to figure out how to do anything that is worthwhile faster, better and cheaper, are rewarded. Please expound.[...] ← I think that the life and times of Adlai Stevenson, the "egghead" who therefore couldn't be elected President, constitutes the clearest example of anti-intellectual bias among the American populus. Also, consider the fact that Francois Mitterand, President of France, considered himself a writer first and a politician second. Could anyone like that be conceivable as President of the United States? ← Stevenson ran for President in 1952 and 1956. It wasn't so much he was an "egghead" but that he had a stick up his bottom. That is what made the egghead tag so effective, and quite frankly funny, concerning his personal appearance. At least we can tie that into something that has something to do with food! Besides, he was running against Eisenhower, come on. Suicide mission at the time. And considering his background he was incredibly successful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlai_Stevenson Read up. We have had better educated indiviudals in office before and since, who had no shame in including education in the resume. Check the roll call of Presidents and get back to me. See where they graduated, what they accomplished, where they came from, and who they were. Now, what about food?

We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. Those that are "too smart" are sometimes seen as more elitist than the wealthy. Being a "gourmet" is the food equivalent of the ivory tower academic or the pointy-headed intellectual. ← " We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. " How do you figure? Looking at the most successful Americans, across the board from differing backgrounds, it seems that those individuals who are smart enough (or have the intelligence, if you prefer) to figure out how to do anything that is worthwhile faster, better and cheaper, are rewarded. Please expound. Bash The Cheesecake Factory or MicroSoft or IBM or YouTube or "pick your successful American politician here" or PizzaHut or DELL or Apple or Bennigans or EBay or Starbucks or etc. You can bash them all you like. But don't you wish you had thought of it first? And weren't they great ideas? And doesn't it require a great intellect to come up with an idea that the whole world will buy into? And how were those great ideas from great intellects not rewarded? That is, if I understand the concept of a meritocracy. Edit: Forgot Google, but YouTube - sheesh... ← It seems that you confuse profit with merit, and cleverness with intellect. ← Oh I LOVE IT! Didn't even have an opportunity to pull the brilliant little Redenbacker pack out of the plastic sleeve and slip it into the microwave. Meritocracy. Let's see what that means: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/meritocracy mer·i·toc·ra·cy Pronunciation (mr-tkr-s) n. pl. mer·i·toc·ra·cies 1. A system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. 2. a. A group of leaders or officeholders selected on the basis of individual ability or achievement. b. Leadership by such a group. Now Merit: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/merit mer·it Pronunciation (mrt) n. 1. a. Superior quality or worth; excellence: a proposal of some merit; an ill-advised plan without merit. b. A quality deserving praise or approval; virtue: a store having the merit of being open late. 2. Demonstrated ability or achievement: promotions based on merit alone. 3. An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval. Often used in the plural: judging people according to their merits. 4. Christianity Spiritual credit granted for good works. Then there is profit: prof·it Pronunciation (prft) n. 1. An advantageous gain or return; benefit. 2. The return received on a business undertaking after all operating expenses have been met. 3. a. The return received on an investment after all charges have been paid. Often used in the plural. b. The rate of increase in the net worth of a business enterprise in a given accounting period. c. Income received from investments or property. d. The amount received for a commodity or service in excess of the original cost. I must pause here, because I cannot understand how you can have a meritocracy without rewarding merit. Profit is a reward, and certainly it is a means of advancement. Surely you are not suggesting that businesses that have bad ideas get profits in the US I could really go on and on explaining how those definitions support one another, but then I would seem pretentious and pedantic. The dreaded "P" words. Oh, cleverness and intellect are confused. I couldn't possibly look up clever and intelligent in a dictionary. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cleverness clev·er Pronunciation (klvr) adj. clev·er·er, clev·er·est 1. Mentally quick and original; bright. 2. Nimble with the hands or body; dexterous. 3. Exhibiting quick-wittedness: a clever story. 4. New England Easily managed; docile: "Oxen must be pretty clever to be bossed around the way they are" Dialect Notes. 5. New England Affable but not especially smart. 6. Chiefly Southern U.S. Good-natured; amiable. See Regional Note at ugly. Now, intellect: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/intellect in·tel·lect Pronunciation (ntl-kt) n. 1. a. The ability to learn and reason; the capacity for knowledge and understanding. b. The ability to think abstractly or profoundly. See Synonyms at mind. 2. A person of great intellectual ability. Then, there is "intelligence": http://www.thefreedictionary.com/intelligence in·tel·li·gence Pronunciation (n-tl-jns) n. 1. a. The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge. b. The faculty of thought and reason. c. Superior powers of mind. See Synonyms at mind. The only thing I can figure out, is that you must be from New England if you have trouble with this one. Now, I must go open up that clever bag of popcorn, and toss it into my cleverly constructed microwave, so that I may eat and sit back. Yes, I do think I am quite clever right now. I do love French Food, if not for Julia Child and the Gallopping Gourmet, I would have ever wasted away shriveled and dying in the barren American land of grits and pork otherwise. Julia was very clever - I loved it when she had a wink.

We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. Those that are "too smart" are sometimes seen as more elitist than the wealthy. Being a "gourmet" is the food equivalent of the ivory tower academic or the pointy-headed intellectual. ← " We fancy ourselves a meritocracy, but there's a strong anti-intellectual streak in the USA. " How do you figure? Looking at the most successful Americans, across the board from differing backgrounds, it seems that those individuals who are smart enough (or have the intelligence, if you prefer) to figure out how to do anything that is worthwhile faster, better and cheaper, are rewarded. Please expound. Bash The Cheesecake Factory or MicroSoft or IBM or YouTube or "pick your successful American politician here" or PizzaHut or DELL or Apple or Bennigans or EBay or Starbucks or etc. You can bash them all you like. But don't you wish you had thought of it first? And weren't they great ideas? And doesn't it require a great intellect to come up with an idea that the whole world will buy into? And how were those great ideas from great intellects not rewarded? That is, if I understand the concept of a meritocracy. Edit: Forgot Google, but YouTube - sheesh... Time to pop some more corn, and put my feet up! What are ya drinkin' Old Foodie?

Sounds like those places had more business than they could stand! Or deserved! Vote with your feet, and tell your friends.

I can't wait to see how you work with this idea. (That is, truth be told, one of the most amazing things about this forum... the stunning creativity and originality!) And I'm sure you could take better pictures than I did. *grin* ← My Hubby takes the pictures in this house! So here it is, a great way to use pork loin, "Sunny Pork" The only changes I made to your sauce was I had some oranges laying around and juiced them up, and I used red pepper infused vinegar and dried pepper I had in the cabinet. I also subbed honey for molasses. I ran out of constarch, like a dummy, so used half wondra (instant flour), but can't wait to try with all cornstarch. Next time, I will use fresh pork instead of the leftover smoked pork. Or if I do use leftover smoked pork, I will just stir fry along with the veg. The pork was still nice and light, and surprisingly not overcooked, but lost all the smokiness. We had an 11 pound fresh ham we smoked New Year's, and were getting tired of it, so this was a nice change of pace from all the heavy stuff over the holidays. It has been hot, too! 83 degrees here today. I bring in the hibiscus blooms at the end of the day when they are especially pretty, because they only last one day anyway and I can enjoy them a little longer. Hubby said that if a hibiscus had a scent, that this bloom would smell like that sauce cooking. So Sunny, thank you. He ate three plates, I had two.

The Florida Grapefruit and other citrus was testing sweeter this year than it had in a couple of decades previous in a report I read in the Fall. The Summers of 2004 and 2005 the groves were "pruned" by the Hurricanes (actually stripped, our home trees lost all fruit those two seasons) and the rainfall and weather conditions last summer were supposedly ideal. The crop is still down in volume and pricey, but I can tell you they are quite tasty this year. Not sure that has anything to do with anything. Next year, barring a hurricane of course, the fruit should be much more plentiful.

But does "desire to eat fugu off a geisha" really = "solving quadratic equations?" Does intellectual superiority goes along with an appreciation of food?. That seems to be an unspoken -and occasionally, spoken - subtext of some of the discussions here and elsewhere. The hoi polloi (like insipid food show presenters, eat at chain restaurant, scarf micro meals, don't like foie gras...) because of ignorance. ETA: That's not even getting onto class issues - high farmer's market prices, the lack of decent gorceries in poor neighborhoods, the disposable income required for food adventuring, etc. ← It feels more like the "Rose Society" vs. "Future Farmer's of America" While Dame Rose Society would not dream of inviting Joe Cotton Grower to her society tea, she will certainly purchase composted cow manure and consult with him concerning fungicides and pesticides. And Mrs. Cotton Grower probably has the biggest honking house eating climbing roses in the county, but she won't be nibbling cucumber sandwiches either, and wouldn't enjoy the company and the atmosphere anyway. Fortunately for me, you can get by these days without mad math skilz, thanks mostly to the efforts of the math club geeks. But, everybody has to eat, every day. I find the elitism mostly amusing when I do run across it here. If it makes people feel better about themselves I don't mind, unless it is done at another's expense, or it is phrased so that negative stereotypes are fostered. "America is xenophobic about food." "Food in the UK is always mushy grey matter piled on a plate." "The Olive Garden was conceived in a secret evil coupling between satan and Mario that occured in the very bowels of hell and all are cursed to damnation who darken the door there." Some of the "inverted" elitism bothers me sometimes, as well. "I only eat organically grown gazillion dollar vegetables nutured by a not for profit commune that cultivates the field daily with a pair of tweezers and an eye dropper and those are the only vegetables anyone should cosider eating or they must be a prole who is too ignorant to get back to nature." Sort of like the eco stickers on the Humvee parked outside of Nordstroms. To be fair, Tim did include a BBQ pit in Tennessee as an equal to the geisha's belly. Personally, I would rather a different plating for my fugu, but the gourmand in me still wants it - and I "got" the concept. In the community that I live in, within 5 miles of the Aventura Mall - I have found that driving 5 miles in the other direction to the dramatically poorer neighborhoods nets me much higher quality and variety at a much lower price in small ethnic markets in run down strip malls than trying to shop from the Whole Foods in Aventura.

Perfect, answered all my questions and I do have everything I need already on hand to do something in the neighborhood! Thanks again Sunny, and nice blog. Will let you know how it comes out.

They also can do without an expediter, and can force the servers to run food at the same time they are waiting tables.

Hello Sunny, Pork fan here as well. You have my curiosity, and salivary glands, going now. I have quite a bit of a leftover fresh ham I smoked for New Years, and this sounds good to me. I am guessing you coated the pork in a batter made with egg, cornstarch and oil then shallow fried, or did you stir fry? Also, was the garlic-orange sauce sort of a sweet and sour or Hoisin kind of thing? I have fresh broccoli I need to use up, in addition to the leftover pork, and this sounds good to me. I also have citrus, ginger, green onions and garlic. Thanks in advance, Anne

Grind some for burgers, and grill. Stir fry, lot's of asian applications. Chili verde.

heh "Blunt language cannot hide a banal conception" James Wolcott Apparently it can expose one, though. Thanks for the engine starter. I think I'll pop some corn now and wait for the responses to this well reasoned post, Tim. Edited to correct a typo. Have to mind my P's and Q's when posting among the brain trust.

I see you have other responses, but I would steep the bananas in a bit in the rum. Banana pudding is intended for overripe bananas, so I wouldn't worry TOO much about the browning on the bananas. You know, some cream of coconut subbed in just might make the whole thing go over the top with bananas and rum, with some grated coconut on top, and maybe some chocolate microplaned on the hot meringue while it is cooling... Edit to add: Thanks highchef. I think I will be blowing my family away here pretty soon. I have pictures of this dessert in my head now. I like the wafers crisp. Telltale sign of a fresh pudding. ← coconut milk for the milk in the pudding? can you reconstitute dried bananna chips with rum? I think we're reinventing the dish here, but it sure sounds good! I like the wafers crisp too, so unless I was going to make it a trifle bananna pudding I need another way to incorporate the rum, I do think soaking the banannas (either fresh, or chips) would be the way for that little change. Thanks! ← Oh wow, reconstituting the banana chips is a great idea, but you would not get the texture or flavor - I don't think. Would have to go side by side to know for sure, and eat some drunk banana bits! Absolutely coconut milk for SOME of the milk in the pudding. It goes on all the time down here at several places I am familiar with. Heavy cream may have to sub for the milk portion though, to keep some of the fat up. This may work for those that like the flavor of coconut but not the texture. Would be a neat little thing to slip in to that flavor profile as well, I think. It does sound lovely. Think I will play around this weekend - this could be something nice. We won't know until we try.

Or, alternatively, is the audience more accepting of food cultures from other places. The UK and the Curry, for instance. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

No no no. If it is hard to quantify then isn't it merely a subjective opinion?** (My emphasis in the original.) How is it honest to point out that X is better than Y in matters of subjective opinion?**I am pretty sure Heidegger would have something to say to me about that statement, but I can't objectively say what it might be. ← So, anything that can't be easily be quantified is subjective? Truth, beauty (beauty, truth), Shakespeare's talent relative to John Grisham, the dinner you had last night versus the one you'll have tomorrow; justice, culture and "progress?" ← Um, yeah. After reading it three times, I think those are all subjective judgements. Unless you can give me an objective measure for them, such as distance - I think you are absolutely correct. ← Distance is a humanly created and perceived construct. ← But it is concrete, and can be measured in a consistent manner. Do you have a better way of defining the distance between London and Paris? http://www.thefreedictionary.com/objectivity "judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices" Talent, truth, beauty and how good dinner was or is are all judgment calls. Colored by your perspective at the moment. Now quit being silly. You already knew that!

Sounds like shanks to me. There is a great deal of meat there that should not be wasted, in my opinion. Braise in the oven low and slow or do the pork and rice thing. Any trinity of vegetables that works, will work. Carrots, onions and garlic are kind of porky to me. Maybe even look up a lamb shank recipe. It would work very well, I would think.